


ego (is not a dirty word)

by graysonsen



Category: The Librarians (TV 2014)
Genre: First Kiss, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-25
Updated: 2017-01-25
Packaged: 2018-09-19 22:12:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9462380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/graysonsen/pseuds/graysonsen
Summary: Jake helps Ezekiel put Stumpy back together. Set afterand the Cost of Education, previously posted on tumblr.





	

If he's honest, Jake _kind_ of isn't sure whether or not he believes that Ezekiel is as grief-stricken about the gargoyle as he's acting. To Jake's eyes, there's something strangely put-on about his distress but then, Jake doesn't actually have any idea how Ezekiel acts when he's upset, and he'd rather give the guy the benefit of the doubt. It's just… _weird_ seeing him like this, like less than one hundred percent in control of himself.

Really weird.

But Jake mumbles some comforting words, pats Ezekiel clumsily on the shoulder and then helps him gather up the shattered shards of stone. They take them back to the Library, and Jenkins clears a space on the main desk, wordlessly offering them two bottles of glue before disappearing back to wherever it is he always disappears to.

"It's hopeless," Ezekiel says forlornly, looking at the fragments scattered over the surface.

"Come on." Jake nudges him encouragingly. "We can do this," he says, and picks up a couple of larger chunks that seem to match up. "Look," he points out, showing Ezekiel how they slot into one another perfectly. "It's gonna take some time, but we'll get him fixed up, I promise."

Ezekiel nods firmly. "Okay," he says, and begins sorting through the mess.

They work together in silence for a while, gradually piecing the gargoyle back together. It's a slow process, and as the time passes, Jake watches Ezekiel's face, the small wrinkle that forms between his eyebrows when he concentrates, the way he bites his bottom lip when he's fitting together some tricky segments. 

After a while, Jake gets curious enough to ask, "You really believe all that stuff you said, don't you?" 

"What stuff?" Ezekiel returns, frowning as he applies glue to what looks like one of the gargoyle's feet.

"All that stuff about how great you are."

Ezekiel looks up. "Of course I believe it."

"It's just…" Jake shakes his head, because he's never met anyone like Ezekiel.

"Mate," says Ezekiel, "life's too short to hate yourself."

Jake huffs out a bitter laugh. "It's not always that simple, my friend."

"Um, no, it _is."_

"We'll have to agree to disagree on that one," says Jake, feeling very old. It's been a long day, and he's tired.

"Why would you hate yourself, anyway?" Ezekiel asks. "You're awesome."

"I am?" Jakes replies in surprise.

"Sure you are." Ezekiel stares at him incredulously, like he's stupid. "Obviously you're nowhere near as awesome as me, _obviously_ , but as people who aren't me go, you're definitely pretty freaking awesome."

"Really?"

"Why not?" says Ezekiel. "You're smart, you're hot, you have a cool job and you get to bask in my reflected genius which makes you seem even more amazing than you are."

Jake's about to scoff at Ezekiel's seemingly limitless ego but then he replays that sentence in his head and… what? _Hot?_ Ezekiel thinks he's hot?

"You think I'm hot?" he asks, just to be certain he didn't mishear.

"Well, yeah." Ezekiel shrugs. "In like a bland, mid-Western white guy kind of way, sure, but if that's what you're into…" 

And jesus fucking christ, Jake thinks, the guy can't even pay you a compliment without backhanding it into an insult. He's ready to tell Ezekiel to go fuck himself, but before he can speak, Ezekiel adds, just casually, like it's nothing at all, "I mean, that's what _I'm_ into."

"You're…" Jake starts, more confused than ever, but then Ezekiel is looking at him, and all at once it's crystal clear, because Ezekiel is closer, and his hand is cradling Jake's jaw, and he's leaning in.

His lips are surprisingly soft against Jake's, and though neither of them open their mouths, the kiss still lingers, warm and full.

And if when Ezekiel finally pulls away, Jake's hanging on to the edge of the table, clinging practically white-knuckled like his life depends on it, then that's just something he's doing, just because that's where his hand happens to be, not because his knees suddenly feel so weak he's not sure he can trust himself to remain upright. He coughs awkwardly, shifts from one foot to another. "What… what was that for?"

"Nothing." Ezekiel grins at him. "Just felt like it."

"Oh," Jake replies, because he has no idea what else to say.

"You're a good guy, Jacob Stone," Ezekiel tells him. "Way better than you think you are."

"Well, I mean… thanks," says Jake. "I guess." And he's not blushing, it's just the heat in this room, that's all. It's, you know, _really_ hot in here. Maybe he'll have to talk to Jenkins about that sometime.

"Now," Ezekiel announces, picking up a piece of stone, "let's get this finished."

And when Jake turns back to the desk, he could swear that damn gargoyle's still-disembodied head is _smiling_ at him. He gives it a suspicious look, and hears the faintest whine in reply.

"Stumpy!" Ezekiel exclaims, his face lighting up with joy at the sound. "It's working, we're bringing him back!"

And Jake can't help himself, because now he's smiling too. "Yeah," he says, happily, "I guess we are."


End file.
